Abducted in Plain Sight (Netflix) - General Discussion

[EdnasEdibles]

"In 1974, 12-year-old Jan Broberg is abducted from a small church-going community in Idaho by a trusted neighbour and close family friend."

Has anyone else watched this documentary? It is absolutely CRAZY and her parents are insane and it's a miracle that she appears to be such a normal woman at this point after everything that she went through. 

[Rlb8031]

I kept saying to myself "it was a different time...it was a different time", but I'm still not understanding how those parents found themselves that enmeshed with a psychopath. Clearly they had a host of other issues and some pretty big tells that caused him to identify and exploit them. It was especially difficult to understand when they disclosed that at least two other families had identified that there was something strange going on with their daughters and took the issue to the church elders. Not clear why no one in the church pulled the dad to the side to say "keep your kids away from that dude". 

Also, I'm going to side eye whomever it was in Mexico that married the two of them - she was TWELVE!!!

And then the fact that he basically had sex with more than half of the family? It just kept getting weirder and weirder...

[EdnasEdibles]

It was the time but I honestly think it was their church more than just the era. I feel like the church put pressure on them to not say anything publicly and I think they worried on some level that their daughter would be shunned if anyone suspected she'd had sex (and by sex I mean the rapes--just that her family would probably describe it as sex). I mean, they didn't even get her therapy after the first kidnapping! And they were like "We didn't think he did anything to her" - he married in her Mexico! Of course he molested her!

I was shocked when the dad confessed what he'd done with B. And then later on when the mom confessed to an ongoing sexual affair with B she had a wistful little smile on her face. And this was after the first kidnapping! What the hell? 

I feel like they were all brain washed and weirded up by their church. I feel like they were all very naive about sex and didn't discuss it at all and all of these secrets were allowed to take root and fester. But man, it was insane. 

[bosawks]

I can’t think of anything I’ve ever watched that had me go “WTF!” to the tv as much as this thing.

It was bananas.

[Guest]

On 2/4/2019 at 2:54 PM, EdnasEdibles said:

I was shocked when the dad confessed what he'd done with B.

And he was so BLASE about it! "Well, we were driving and he pulled over and said he needed some 'relief' so..." WHAT THE FUCK, DUDE!  I sense there was a ton of sexual repression going on in with those parents—among many other issues. 

And what of B's wife, Gail?! She was just as gross and guilty as her psychotic husband. I did have to google her to find out what became of her and it turns out she remarried in 1988 and the second husband recently died. She ought to be ashamed of herself for what aiding and abetting "B." 

[nekilarose]

On 2/6/2019 at 10:47 AM, Giant Misfit said:

And he was so BLASE about it! "Well, we were driving and he pulled over and said he needed some 'relief' so..." WHAT THE FUCK, DUDE!  I sense there was a ton of sexual repression going on in with those parents—among many other issues. 

And what of B's wife, Gail?! She was just as gross and guilty as her psychotic husband. I did have to google her to find out what became of her and it turns out she remarried in 1988 and the second husband recently died. She ought to be ashamed of herself for what aiding and abetting "B." 

I just finished watching this and I must have said "WTF" every other minute. You let this guy sleep in your daughters bed as "therapy" ? Didn't he have kids of his own? Not that I wished he would molest them, but there was almost no mention of his kids after the intro. 

The dad admitting to giving him a handjob? Was just mind blowing, WTF was going through his mind to just say "okay" ? The mom  having an affair AFTER the first kidnapping? Jesus Christ, I'd love to blame the times, but that is some epic burying your head in the sand. All the phone calls and letters that they allowed to keep happening? Like I really can't wrap my head around it. 

And yes speaking of his wife....bish where were you during all this? How could she stay in town knowing her husband had kidnapped Jan, then going over to blackmail them into dropping the charges? She woulda been slapped upside the head.

The thing I can't get over is his they did nothing to help Jan afterwards. No therapy, no counseling, just "oh she looks okay" great parenting there. Yes they were manipulated, but that doesn't make up for their stupidity. Who waits to call when your child is missing a few hours, let alone a few days/weeks?

Just ugh.

[merylinkid]

Their church has a lot to answer for in this.   "Well he was an upstanding member so he can't be a problem?"   Oh really?

Yeah the wife.   Every time he talked about marrying Jan I was like WTF, aren't you already married?   Your church outlawed polygamy ages ago.   

There had to be more than just fear of exposure of affairs for them to keep quiet.   But it was HUGE denial.   "If Jan doesn't say anything then it's okay and we don't have to deal with it."   Instead of going "Wow this kid is really different maybe we should talk to a professional."  

I'm not sure Jan really is as okay as she appears.   In an interview with the documentary maker over on vulture, she says Jan told her that she has compared every man she has been involved with to B and they fell short.    Being molested at 12 really messes you up.

[Scarlett45]

On 2/10/2019 at 2:04 AM, nekilarose said:

The dad admitting to giving him a handjob? Was just mind blowing, WTF was going through his mind to just say "okay" ? The mom  having an affair AFTER the first kidnapping? Jesus Christ, I'd love to blame the times, but that is some epic burying your head in the sand. All the phone calls and letters that they allowed to keep happening? Like I really can't wrap my head around it. 

I’m watching the documentary now. I think the parents were both attracted to B and were willing to turn a blind eye to have access to him for their own sexual gratification. There’s no other explanation. I could see an over worked or naive parent not seeing the initial grooming. But the second she didn’t come back from the horseback riding lesson at a reasonable time they should’ve been calling the police. Even if they didn’t think B would hurt Jan, he could’ve been hurt himself (a car accident). 

Once she was rescued from the first kidnapping the ONLY thing I can blame on the times is not getting her therapy. “Therapy” or “talking to a professional” was not something mainstream people did in this period, so I can see if she was acting “normal” not wanting to “dwell on it” and move on. The rest of it? NAH. B’s BROTHER had his number years ago. 

I will write more later. 

No the Dad wasn’t “dumb enough” to give him a handjob. I believe he felt guilty guilty about cheating on his wife, and felt guilty for being attracted to B, but yeah they fucked. B was a very intelligent, SICK man who was able to see what the the adults wanted to get access to Jan. My only thoughts are for poor Jan and the other girls he hurt. The Dad never had an inkling that B had sexual designs on Jan because he was so busy fanticizing about B! I can believe they didn’t know what a “peodphile” was (as in the exact word in the dictionary) but they knew what a child molester was. These are grown people, without any sort of mental disabilities. At best they weren’t paying attention because they wanted B so badly, at worst they didn’t care because they never thought he would kidnap her and it would become public knowledge. 

So basically they signed those affidavits because they were afraid their own sexual relationships with B would come to light (remember “homosexual activity” was still a crime in many states in 1974, I’m sure it was in Idaho).  The way the mother describes her affair with B, she looks WISTFUL! This man kidnapped her daughter and she was hot for him!!! This is exactly like parents whom sell their children for access to drugs or fame or money.

What in the hell??

Why was B allowed to continue to contact her?!! This poor girl, goes to drama camp, has a boy her own age bought her an ice cream cone (a perfectly normal and natural thing) and it sends her into such a state of fear about the “mission”. The psychological torture this girl went through.

Poor Jan. That’s all. 

[DrSparkles]

On 2/4/2019 at 2:27 PM, Rlb8031 said:

I kept saying to myself "it was a different time...it was a different time", but I'm still not understanding how those parents found themselves that enmeshed with a psychopath. Clearly they had a host of other issues and some pretty big tells that caused him to identify and exploit them. It was especially difficult to understand when they disclosed that at least two other families had identified that there was something strange going on with their daughters and took the issue to the church elders. Not clear why no one in the church pulled the dad to the side to say "keep your kids away from that dude". 

Also, I'm going to side eye whomever it was in Mexico that married the two of them - she was TWELVE!!!

And then the fact that he basically had sex with more than half of the family? It just kept getting weirder and weirder...

It was 1974! Not 1774.

She’s about my age & if the first HINT of this bullshit had happened w me, my dad would have killed him w his bare hands. Her fucking parents!!!

also, I just read Educated & I’m realllllly giving Idaho a side eye right now.

Edited February 11, 2019 by DrSparkles

[Glory]

@bosawks got it right. This shit is BANANAS. 

I watched this while my husband was out and when he came home I tried to explain it to him and I just had NO WORDS. This entire story is bonkerballs. I am telling him "Well, this pedophile seduced a husband and wife to get to their child" and he kind of raises an eyebrows and then I'm like "Well, wait. There are also aliens." OMG. 

I just feel so bad for everyone involved but also so ANGRY. Why would you continue to speak to this man? I don't understand any of it. Jebus. 

[nekilarose]

1 hour ago, Glory said:

@bosawks got it right. This shit is BANANAS. 

I watched this while my husband was out and when he came home I tried to explain it to him and I just had NO WORDS. This entire story is bonkerballs. I am telling him "Well, this pedophile seduced a husband and wife to get to their child" and he kind of raises an eyebrows and then I'm like "Well, wait. There are also aliens." OMG. 

I just feel so bad for everyone involved but also so ANGRY. Why would you continue to speak to this man? I don't understand any of it. Jebus. 

I can't even imagine your poor husbands face at "there are also aliens"! 

The continued contact is what kills me. How hard would it have been to....change your frigging number? That is all. He would have no way to reach you! Oh and monitor your mail! Why did you allow Jan to still get and send letters? 

Also, who cares if B was threatening to expose the dad? All they had to say was "he's lying to cover up the fact that he kidnapped my kid, even the FBI says so" boom. Now he's a lying, perverted, sick man that kidnapped their daughter! 

But they each let their desire for B overrule common damn sense. Poor Jan never had a chance.

[Rlb8031]

15 hours ago, DrSparkles said:

It was 1974! Not 1774.

She’s about my age & if the first HINT of this bullshit had happened w me, my dad would have killed him w his bare hands. Her fucking parents!!!

also, I just read Educated & I’m realllllly giving Idaho a side eye right now.

Yes, it wasn't that long ago. But as a child of the 70's I can remember a clear break in NYC (where I grew up) of conversations before the kidnapping and murder of Etan Patz and afterwards with respect to our safety as kids and the fact that adults could indeed be dangerous to us. Having said that, I agree that my parents would not have been up for the BS at all, and mom would have taken him out in the street, beaten him to a pulp and left him as a message to others while my dad stood watch...

[EdnasEdibles]

I think it was a weird mixture of the era, their extreme religious background and their small town lifestyle. I honestly think that some of those religions where NO ONE talks about sex or instructs you about sex or has a healthy attitude about sex do a ton of damage. I feel like both of the parents came from that sort of an environment. The dad probably was closer to gay on the kinsey scale and the mom didn't realize it and married him. My guess is that she was deeply unsatisfied in that marriage and that neither of them had an enjoyable sexual experience. Nor did they have the ability to even tell anyone what they were feeling or thinking or how they were confused. And then B comes along and makes them both feel desired and sexual and attractive in some way and they ate that shit up because it was the first time in their lives it had ever happened. 

And I also believe that the religious denial and sexual naiveté means that they didn't really fully digest the fact that their daughter had been molested and raped. 

I read an article somewhere about the Mormon church and it talked about how a lot of the elders did not come forward to help girls if they ever complained about sexual abuse. Or they punished them severely if they ever confessed to perfectly natural sexual urges or activities. So I think that if they ever did vocalize any worry about their daughter, it was probably shut down very quickly. And then they probably operated on some level on the knowledge that if anyone really knew what had happened to their daughter, their shitty terrible community might just ostracize her. 

So I really think it was a giant tempest of being completely ignorant about sex, weird religious ideas about sex making literally everything about sex seem shameful so there was no ability to differentiate in their minds between their daughter's molestation or two consensual adults having an affair and then just fear of their community. 

Not that I'm giving her parents a "I don't blame you!" card but I feel like there's a whole lotta messed up stuff that happened to them and in some ways their minds were just completely stunted and broken when it came to dealing with anything pertaining to sex.

[Scarlett45]

1 hour ago, EdnasEdibles said:

And I also believe that the religious denial and sexual naiveté means that they didn't really fully digest the fact that their daughter had been molested and raped. 

I could believe that up until she was actually kidnapped. Most people are not evil, nor are they sexually atttacted to children. I can see them not seeing the horror B was at first. But he kidnapped their child- and THEN they continued to have sex with him. That was about what THEY wanted. B constantly broke huge social taboos and they didn’t bat an eyelash.

These people had 3 children, they knew what sex was. They didn’t care so long as they got what they wanted. 

[thejuicer]

I felt like the parents permitted the abuse of their daughter Jan because they got sexual gratification out of it too. This whole story is just so, so sick. I am shocked they were not charged and arrested as well.

[sskrill]

On 2/10/2019 at 6:05 AM, Scarlett45 said:

There’s no other explanation. 

How about dumbest people on the planet?

Exceptionally low IQs?

This whole story was just absurd.  Saw lots of posts from friends on FB about it - thought they were exaggerating the insanty, then I watched it ........

[truthaboutluv]

On 2/10/2019 at 4:04 AM, nekilarose said:

The dad admitting to giving him a handjob? Was just mind blowing, WTF was going through his mind to just say "okay" ? The mom  having an affair AFTER the first kidnapping? Jesus Christ, I'd love to blame the times, but that is some epic burying your head in the sand.

That was where I turned off the documentary. As soon as they got to the part of the dad talking about he and B going for the drive and B talking about being so sexually frustrated, yeah I knew where this was going. And I then also realized where this larger story was going regarding the parents themselves and B and I was out. 

I agree with others on not buying the "it was the times" excuse because it's clear other people in the same community were wise enough to see B for what he was and want nothing to do with him.  There was one guy in the documentary that talks about spending one Saturday with his family and B's on a boat and dude basically said B was creepy as fuck (not in those exact words) and that after that day he wanted nothing to do with him.

The fact is a predator like B preys on people. And to do that, they're usually good at reading people and being able to spot their weaknesses and the ways to manipulate them. And so after a few months or whatever, he probably realized how fucked up the parents themselves were and knew exactly how to play them. Because IMO that's what this came down to - the mother and father both had their own fucked up issues, whether it was sexual repression, the father maybe being gay and due to his religious upbringing being in denial, etc. All of these things made them the perfect mark for B.  And their poor daughter suffered the most for it. 

Quote

I’m watching the documentary now. I think the parents were both attracted to B and were willing to turn a blind eye to have access to him for their own sexual gratification. There’s no other explanation. 

Yup, basically. 

Edited February 18, 2019 by truthaboutluv

[rlc]

Just finished watching this and a silkwood shower would be strong enough to wash off the ick. I’m seriously more disgusted by the parents for permitting this to happen. ‘B’ was obviously monster, but the parents, oy.

[Glory]

If you guys haven't listened to the "True Crime Obsessed" Podcast on this episode you are missing out. All the outrage and tons of LOLS. 

[DanielleBowden]

I watched last night and then barely slept.  Honestly, its harsh but I don't know how her parents live with themselves.  Absolutely they were manipulated but my goodness, they were complaisant.  I get it was a different time but there were those who did get an understanding that they were dealing with a dangerous man, thinking of the man who went on the boat trip and the other unnamed families who cut off access to their children.  Jan is amazing for coming through this "okay" and it seems , maintaining a relationship with her parents.   I was sobbing as she described how she would focus on the leaves and then her realization on her 16th birthday at how she had been manipulated. 

[Scarlett45]

21 hours ago, Glory said:

If you guys haven't listened to the "True Crime Obsessed" Podcast on this episode you are missing out. All the outrage and tons of LOLS. 

I am not familiar with this podcast. Thank you. 

20 hours ago, cecehe said:

I watched last night and then barely slept.  Honestly, its harsh but I don't know how her parents live with themselves.  Absolutely they were manipulated but my goodness, they were complaisant.  I get it was a different time but there were those who did get an understanding that they were dealing with a dangerous man, thinking of the man who went on the boat trip and the other unnamed families who cut off access to their children.  Jan is amazing for coming through this "okay" and it seems , maintaining a relationship with her parents.   I was sobbing as she described how she would focus on the leaves and then her realization on her 16th birthday at how she had been manipulated. 

I don’t know how her parents live with themselves either. 

[luna1122]

Well, the dad is dead now, but yeah...these parents should have gone to jail for child endangerment and neglect, and I have no idea how the mother lives with herself. That Jan keeps defending them so strongly leads me to believe she's as much in denial as they were, and needs tons more therapy than she might have already had. It was a 'different time', but for cripes sake...we knew what child molesters were. I'm roughly the same age as Jan and also grew up in a repressive, weird religion, but no way in hell would my parents have ever thought any of this was okay. To let this grown ass man work out his 'therapy' with their pre-teen daughter? There is no amount of denial, cultural or religious or time-period differences that explain that in any freaking way.

This truly is one of the most WTF stories I've ever come across.

[portergirl99]

You guys..... WTF????? I can't even except to say ---- Suicide via Kahluah and Cream? The final WTF moment for me.  The parents made my skin crawl.  Strongly agree that the Mother is still in love/lust with 'B' So gross

[itsadryheat]

On 2/12/2019 at 12:06 PM, EdnasEdibles said:

their extreme religious background and their small town lifestyle.

Watched this last night, alone, and not sure if I should have. Would have been better if I was in a theater, with others, like the old Rocky Horror Picture Show shows. Overload on WTF's.

I recently tried living in a small ID town, couldn't do it for the above reasons. I had no preconceptions of this particular sect prior to living amongst them. Sadly, I do now. Only welcoming if you are one of them. And  a small town has its own sect culture. Double whammy-plus, I missed Trader Joe's!

Too many disturbing things to comment on. 

I tried googling the wife but came up empty. Curious where you found anything on her Giant Misfit.

And Jan's parents repeatedly asking the pedo are you going to marry her! She's a kid, he's married already, and they keep talking like "Are going to wear that blue shirt tomorrow?"

With the exception of Jan, didn't see much emotion in the retelling of events from the entire family. No anger, no disgust, no shame, no embarrassment . . . but then I may have had enough for all of them.

I can't say it enough, Too many disturbing things to comment on. 

[Scarlett45]

I’m listening to the podcast. I have to say these guys are doing a good job keeping it light just to get through the horror of what poor Jan went through. They are making fun of all the stupid ass adults who didn’t give two shits about Jan, not making fun Jan’s pain. 

I hear there is going to be a part 2. 

[FormerMod-a1]

Of the many things I couldn't get over, at the end Jan said that 'B' had been convicted of child rape previously (before meeting her and her family) but only served 1 year.  1 year for child rape?!?  WTH

[Steph J]

I finally got around to watching this last night and, even knowing some of the twists (because I'm the last person I know to watch it), I was still shocked by this.  I mean... what the actual fuck?

Her parents... what else can be said? They failed in every way and at every opportunity.  But what about B.'s brother who so nonchalantly says that he'd never seen B. happier than when Jan was sent to spend the summer with him/working for him (again, these fucking parents...)?  Dude, that girl was a child.  How do you just watch that happening (at all, let alone knowing that he's already kidnapped her once) and shrug and say, essentially, "the heart wants what it wants"?

And I am baffled about why, when Jan went to court to get a permanent restraining order against B., he was allowed to directly address her.  That is wrong on so many levels and you could see the way that he was still trying to gaslight and manipulate her. That should not have been allowed to happen.  She wasn't on the witness stand, for one thing, and even if she was, and even if (as it appears he was) he was defending himself, the court should appoint a lawyer to put B.'s questions to her rather than let him address her directly.

[Guest]

On 2/21/2019 at 8:39 PM, itsadryheat said:

I tried googling the wife but came up empty. Curious where you found anything on her Giant Misfit.

I googled her. Her last name is Wiley now and her second husband died not that long ago. She has a FB page (or did last time I checked). But that’s pretty much it. 

And I maintain she belongs in prison for aiding and abetting her criminal husband. 

[ItsHelloPattiagain]

On 2/11/2019 at 8:37 AM, Glory said:

I watched this while my husband was out and when he came home I tried to explain it to him and I just had NO WORDS. This entire story is bonkerballs. I am telling him "Well, this pedophile seduced a husband and wife to get to their child" and he kind of raises an eyebrows and then I'm like "Well, wait. There are also aliens." OMG. 

I share a Netflix account with my daughter and of course this will come up on recently viewed. How would I attempt to explain what this was about? WTF indeed. 

Maybe it was just the small town atmosphere or the church, but remember crimes like the Ted Bundy murders were going on at the same time. How charismatic was B that he was able to seduce the parents as well as the child? Were the parents so needy that this exciting weirdo popped up in their lives and they flew to pieces?  

[itsadryheat]

Robert Ersol "Bob" Berchtold  Obituary

BRIGHAM CITY - Robert Ersol Berchtold, age 69, died Frida, November 11, 2005, in Bunkerville, Nevada. He was born February 7, 1936, in Tremonton, Utah to Leonard N. and Lucille Grover Berchtold. When Bob was 3 yrs old his father passed away and in 1939 his mother married Joseph Ersol Berchtold who raised Bob and his older brother Don as his own. Bob attended schools in Thatcher and Eden, Utah, Star Valley, Wyo and graduated from Box Elder High School in Brigham City. He served an LDS mission in the Swiss Austrian mission. He attended BYU, USU, and Ricks College. He served in the US Army, stationed in Albuquerque, New Mexico. On June 7, 1961, he married Gail Toyn in the Logan Temple and they had five children. They lived in Albuquerque, NM, Brigham City, Harper, and Ogedn, Utah. THey were later divorced. On July 17, 1990, he married Deanna Lou Wiley at the Pine View Reservoir, Utah. THey were later sealed in the Las Vegas Temple. They resided in Las Vegas until 1997 when they moved to Logandale, Nevada. Bob was blessed with a beautiful singing voice and sang all over Box Elder and Weber County as a young boy. He continued singing throughout his life and brought enjoyment to many through his great talent. He had a great love for the gospel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many capacities in the Church. He loved the seven years he served as a temple ordinance worker in the Las Vegas temple. He was a very successful salesman and business owner. He had an out-going and pleasant personality and made friends all he met. Bob enjoyed camping, 4-wheeling, and anything that involved his family and friends. He and Deanna spent their summers in the mountains of Monte Cristo, Utah and loved their time there. Survivors include his wife, Deanna, of Logandale; four sons and one daughter; Jerry Curtis (Tina) of Roy, UT; James Ersol of Las Vegas, NV; Joseph Ersol (Shawna) of Henderson, NV; Jeff Archie of Ogden, UT; Jill (Richard) Scott of Farr West, UT; seven grandchildren; his mother, Lucille Berchtold of Brigham CIty, UT; two brothers and one sister; L. Don (Carol) currently serving a mission in Australia; Joe (Sue) Berchtold of Ogden, UT and Moana (Alan) Jensen of Brigham CIty, Utah. Funeral service will be held Thursday.

[Racj82]

On 2/22/2019 at 1:40 PM, Scarlett45 said:

I’m listening to the podcast. I have to say these guys are doing a good job keeping it light just to get through the horror of what poor Jan went through. They are making fun of all the stupid ass adults who didn’t give two shits about Jan, not making fun Jan’s pain. 

I hear there is going to be a part 2. 

I enjoyed the podcast but I can't deal with a podcast having that many commercial breaks. A break every five to ten minutes. No thank you.

[Armchair Critic]

I just finished watching this and wanted to find out more about the family. I was shocked to read that the mother Mary Ann "retired from her position as a social worker at Eagledancer Youth and Family Services in 2010". That screwed up woman had no business being a social worker, especially to children. WTF?!

[Armchair Critic]

I keep thinking about this and I wonder if Jan figured out after awhile the alien thing was a hoax but by then she was so in love with him that she kept up the ruse? (I am not blaming her, she was a child who was groomed by him)

Edited February 28, 2019 by Armchair Critic

[Guest]

On 2/25/2019 at 11:08 AM, itsadryheat said:

Robert Ersol "Bob" Berchtold  Obituary

Oh, oops. It looked like I thought Deanna was the first wife, when it was really Gail. I can't find anything about Gail online other than that, sadly, she appears to still live in Utah and not a prison.

[Stenbeck]

This...was...I have no words.

Y'all have said everything I was thinking, but Jan's sisters broke my heart. They have also been traumatized by this and seemed much more frail than Jan (who comes off as a very strong woman, IMO). Especially when she mentioned how their dad took them to a restaurant a town over and let them know he was divorcing their mom (while the mom was being served with divorce papers). 

HOW THE HELL DID B get off the kidnapping charge, IMPERSONATING A CIA AGENT CHARGE!!?!?! It's maddening. 

[BonnieD]

Quote

So I really think it was a giant tempest of being completely ignorant about sex, weird religious ideas about sex making literally everything about sex seem shameful so there was no ability to differentiate in their minds between their daughter's molestation or two consensual adults having an affair and then just fear of their community. 

I completely agree. Yes, there was ignorance in the early 70s, the time when I grew up, but not to this degree. I believe the situation had a lot to do with their religion and sexual ignorance and repression. That being said, a next-door-neighbor of my best friend at the time (again, early 70s), a girl of about 13 "fell in love" with a man of 30 and was allowed by her parents to marry him! I thought it was super creepy and weird at the time, but this neighbor girl had no connection to me and i was a kid so didn't pay much attention to how the whole thing played out and, eventually I assume, ended.

One of the weirdest things in a boatload of weirdness was the way the mother sounded in the taped phone calls with the kidnapper after the second disappearance. So crazily nonchalant, like "how's the weather" vocal inflections when talking about her missing daughter. And when B mentioned she might be prostituting herself and selling dope, there was like zero reaction. Perhaps she was acting fake because the FBI was taping the phone call and she was a poor actress, but it was really really awkward and strange.

[BitterApple]

So I just watched this last night and my jaw is still glued to the floor.

I'm not even kidding, this shit was so off the wall I thought I was watching some perverted spoof.

Funny thing is, when the father first appeared on screen, my immediate thought was he was closeted gay. Then we find out he gives B a hand job under the guise of "Momentary lapse of judgment." Sure....

The mother having a sexual affair with B after he kidnapped and raped her daughter?!!! 

And was anyone else majorly disturbed at how nonchalant B's brother was over the pedophilia and the fact that he used to molest their sister? Also, disturbed over how the parents treated the marriage issue? 

I understand this was the 70s and we're talking about small-town, sheltered people, but hell. I can forgive the parents for the early stuff, i.e., not realizing they were being groomed and manipulated, but the post-kidnapping shenanigans? Signing the affadavits, continuing to have a relationship with B, allowing Jan to work at his summer camp? Um, no. These have to be the stupidest people I've ever laid eyes on. 

[BonnieD]

Quote

allowing Jan to work at his summer camp

Oh yeah. I forgot about how flabbergasted that left me. It was like these parents did not know how to react when their daughter crossed them. If she dug in her heels hard enough, they gave in to any and everything she wanted (or thought she wanted) to do. It's like they weren't expecting their little darling girls to turn into teenagers and had no coping skills to deal with them. Particularly the mother was stuck in some childish mode herself, going gaga because "a boy likes me and paid me compliments!" 

[Reality police]

Just finished watching this after seeing some of your posts. OMG!

I yelled at the tv the whole time. I couldn't believe these people. I agree with each one of you. 

Wow, just Wow. 

[OllieSocks]

On 2/25/2019 at 11:08 AM, itsadryheat said:

Robert Ersol "Bob" Berchtold  Obituary

BRIGHAM CITY - Robert Ersol Berchtold, age 69, died Frida, November 11, 2005, in Bunkerville, Nevada. He was born February 7, 1936, in Tremonton, Utah to Leonard N. and Lucille Grover Berchtold. When Bob was 3 yrs old his father passed away and in 1939 his mother married Joseph Ersol Berchtold who raised Bob and his older brother Don as his own. Bob attended schools in Thatcher and Eden, Utah, Star Valley, Wyo and graduated from Box Elder High School in Brigham City. He served an LDS mission in the Swiss Austrian mission. He attended BYU, USU, and Ricks College. He served in the US Army, stationed in Albuquerque, New Mexico. On June 7, 1961, he married Gail Toyn in the Logan Temple and they had five children. They lived in Albuquerque, NM, Brigham City, Harper, and Ogedn, Utah. THey were later divorced. On July 17, 1990, he married Deanna Lou Wiley at the Pine View Reservoir, Utah. THey were later sealed in the Las Vegas Temple. They resided in Las Vegas until 1997 when they moved to Logandale, Nevada. Bob was blessed with a beautiful singing voice and sang all over Box Elder and Weber County as a young boy. He continued singing throughout his life and brought enjoyment to many through his great talent. He had a great love for the gospel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many capacities in the Church. He loved the seven years he served as a temple ordinance worker in the Las Vegas temple. He was a very successful salesman and business owner. He had an out-going and pleasant personality and made friends all he met. Bob enjoyed camping, 4-wheeling, and anything that involved his family and friends. He and Deanna spent their summers in the mountains of Monte Cristo, Utah and loved their time there. Survivors include his wife, Deanna, of Logandale; four sons and one daughter; Jerry Curtis (Tina) of Roy, UT; James Ersol of Las Vegas, NV; Joseph Ersol (Shawna) of Henderson, NV; Jeff Archie of Ogden, UT; Jill (Richard) Scott of Farr West, UT; seven grandchildren; his mother, Lucille Berchtold of Brigham CIty, UT; two brothers and one sister; L. Don (Carol) currently serving a mission in Australia; Joe (Sue) Berchtold of Ogden, UT and Moana (Alan) Jensen of Brigham CIty, Utah. Funeral service will be held Thursday.

This is awkward. I found a typo. It should read:

Robert Ersol "Bob" Berchtold  Obituary

Dead fucktard.

[teddysmom]

On 3/16/2019 at 11:43 AM, BitterApple said:

I thought I was watching some perverted spoof.

Me too!  When the alien stuff started, for a moment I thought, okay is this some joke that everyone is in on? 

When they mentioned LDS, to me that explained a lot of the sex stuff and naivete. Nice to know the mother thought of her own sexual needs over her daughter's safety. 

And they waited five days to contact authorities to report her missing?  My fucking cat got locked in my storage shed one afternoon and after not seeing her for an hour I was going crazy, til I heard the little knucklehead meowing.  If my sister and I were outside playing and were 30 minutes late coming home my father was in the car, driving around the neighborhood looking for us.  

[edie3]

OMG, just finished this.  I had more WTF moments than I have ever had.  

Edited March 18, 2019 by edie3
edited

[Mrs. Hanson]

On 3/16/2019 at 10:43 AM, BitterApple said:

So I just watched this last night and my jaw is still glued to the floor.

I'm not even kidding, this shit was so off the wall I thought I was watching some perverted spoof.

Funny thing is, when the father first appeared on screen, my immediate thought was he was closeted gay. Then we find out he gives B a hand job under the guise of "Momentary lapse of judgment." Sure....

The mother having a sexual affair with B after he kidnapped and raped her daughter?!!! 

And was anyone else majorly disturbed at how nonchalant B's brother was over the pedophilia and the fact that he used to molest their sister? Also, disturbed over how the parents treated the marriage issue? 

I understand this was the 70s and we're talking about small-town, sheltered people, but hell. I can forgive the parents for the early stuff, i.e., not realizing they were being groomed and manipulated, but the post-kidnapping shenanigans? Signing the affadavits, continuing to have a relationship with B, allowing Jan to work at his summer camp? Um, no. These have to be the stupidest people I've ever laid eyes on. 

FIrst bolding:  Me too.  Second bolding:  WT the holy F????

On 3/18/2019 at 8:25 AM, teddysmom said:

Me too!  When the alien stuff started, for a moment I thought, okay is this some joke that everyone is in on? 

When they mentioned LDS, to me that explained a lot of the sex stuff and naivete. Nice to know the mother thought of her own sexual needs over her daughter's safety. 

And they waited five days to contact authorities to report her missing?  My fucking cat got locked in my storage shed one afternoon and after not seeing her for an hour I was going crazy, til I heard the little knucklehead meowing.  If my sister and I were outside playing and were 30 minutes late coming home my father was in the car, driving around the neighborhood looking for us.  

I was yelling at the TV:  WHO CARES ABOUT "BOTHERING PEOPLE???"   That is their job.  I don't care if you hurt someone's (B's wife)  feelings...CALL THE DAMN COPS.  

@teddysmom - I once (by accident!) locked my beloved Fatty the cat in the hall closet for a weekend while we were away.  I did not realize it till we got home and felt horrible!!!  (He was fine btw!!!)  If I got that wound over my cat.....you don't want to see me go ape shit over my kids.  I have two sons, now in college and I am still......a little nutty.  At times.

Then B shows up and threatens Jan during speaking engagements?    What a tool.  

[Josette]

Some more information from Jan.

• Jan’s father called the police the very first night she went missing

  “My father called the sheriff’s department that same night when we didn’t show up,” she says.

  Though that wasn’t featured in the documentary, Jan was quick to point out that her father, Bob, still did not believe she had been kidnapped. “They were looking for a car accident…they described the car…kidnapping had not even entered anybody’s mind,” she explains.

• B. had an explanation for marrying Jan in Mexico

  Jan reveals what B. told her mother as an explanation for their marriage, “He said because we wanted to come home, ‘they would not let me come back across the border if I did not have her married to me. I didn’t want to marry her."

  B. even went on to convince Jan’s mother she was to blame for what happened. “’You wouldn’t come with me, Mary Ann. You’re the one I’m in love with, you’re the one I want to be with, but yes, I did something wrong and I kind of had a mental breakdown, but I had to marry her or they would have separated us and who would she have been with?’”

   “He had a story for everything,” Jan says.

• Jan’s parents retracted their signed affidavits agreeing not to press charges against B. 

"They didn’t forgive him. The affidavits that they signed, they retracted four days later. That’s not in the documentary,” Jan reveals. 

Edited April 6, 2019 by Josette

[Scarlett45]

@Josette I am glad B’s wife divorced him and got the hell out of dodge. 

Bullshit on the parents believing “I married her in Mexico to let us come home.”  Why did he take someone else’s child to Mexico in the first place?!!!!! 

My Mom saw this documentary and wanted to know why B was even allowed to take all those inappropriate pictures of Jan while her mother was home all day and knew what was going on?!!! 

I am glad B is gone and cannot hurt any more children, but after the first kidnapping I’m holding the parents culpable for not protecting Jan (or even trying to). 

[kathe5133]

I can’t even finish this!   I’ve screamed “what!” twenty times already and I’m just up to the hand job!  What a fucked up collection of people, including Jan’s parents.  He groomed the parents?  No, the parents are fucking idiots!  A

[Scratches19]

31 minutes ago, Scratches19 said:

On 2/4/2019 at 8:38 PM, bosawks said:

I can’t think of anything I’ve ever watched that had me go “WTF!” to the tv as much as this thing.

Exactly! My jaw just kept dropping with each new revelation. 

 

The perfect storm, or the perfect opportunity for a predator like B. 

Nice family but with secrets. Dad was probably a closeted homosexual. That fits the church and social pressures of the times. Mom is in a shell of a marriage with a closeted gay man. She is certainly vulnerable to any flattering attention. B knows he can use their shame to dull and slow their responses and, when that breaks down, to blackmail them into silence. 

I speculate it was more than a “one time” hand job between the two men. But maybe Dad was truly that repressed. 

Where ware the local police?

What were these juries smoking?

What was the church doing and has it owned up to its role in enabling further abuse?

I have never seen anything so shocking. One shock after another.  

[Scarlett45]

True Crime Obsessed is doing another spin off podcast about this documentary. Here’s episode 1. 
 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/obsessed-with-abducted-in-plain-sight/id1497637810#episodeGuid=tag%3Aaudioboom.com%2C2020-02-26%3A%2Fposts%2F7515123

[Clawdel]

I grew up in Idaho Falls during the 1970's-1983 and NO Mormons are not this gullible. I don't buy the "oh, shucks" routine from the parents at all.

 

[Scarlett45]

For those interested in the Drama based on this documentary/true crime event there is a compare/contrast thread in the show forum here.